Subj: [HillionDynasty] [HD] Ambience Date: 01-01-05 18:22:57 EST From: dshumate@bbtel.com (Arcanis) Reply-to: HillionDynasty@egroups.com To: ffml@egroups.com CC: HillionDynasty@egroups.com * Well, this is pretty short. In fact, it's more or less everything in Pyx's and Lara's posts, just from Arc's point of view >.< Since I'm not sure if Lara doesn't want Lia to *actually* become Arc's apprentice, I left that kinda open, otherwise I would've made the post a bit longer. I'll finish my mass of homework(gawd, why did school have to start back up!?) tonight, giving me a chance this weekend to get out some good posts(at least, compared to this and the last ones). ------------------------------- Arcanis fiddled with various artifacts of power around his person he carried-- an enchanted dagger he never used, a useless wand with a spell he could cast with barely a thought, et cetera-- anything to avoid looking around the various activities in the harem. He was leaning against the wall near the front doors to the Anything Goes School of Sexual Arts. *An interesting name.* he thought. *Why, if I didn't know better, a person might think this was a specialized fighting academy.* Arcanis was snapped out of his thoughtful reverie-- he really needed to stop doing that-- by the sound of flapping wings outside the door. He had sensed BahamutX returning, and was eager to see if the dragon had returned with Pokey, so that he could continue on his journey. Before he could turn to make it out the threshold, however, he was sent into a fit of spinning fury as Pyxie streaked past him in a blur and out the door. Arcanis stopped spinning and, wishing the ground would follow suit, followed Pyxie out the door, albeit more slowly. At first his attention was drawn amusedly to Pyxie showering Pokey in a gale of affection, but he blinked in surprise as he noticed a slightly nervous-looking avariel. *Interesting...* Arcanis thought to himself. *I haven't seen an avariel since... well... the last time I saw a human before helping conjure Abterrus...* Arcanis shrugged to himself and watched Pyxie welcome back the rest with an amused grin. After leaving Pokey dazed on the floor, she went on to shower BahamutX in hugs, immensely pleasing the big purple dragon, and launched into Bix with a flying hugtackle. She then advanced on the avariel with an apparent intent to hug her, but the avariel female stepped oddly stepped back. Pyxie offered her hand instead, looking slightly puzzled, and the avariel returned what Arcanis easily recognized as a mage's hand shake. Suddenly, the avariel stiffened, and slowly turned towards Arcanis with a glazed look in her eyes. *Uh oh* thought Arcanis frantically, realizing what was happening. Being away from Abterrus and anyone who could innately detect magical ability, with the exception of BahamutX, Arcanis had been unconsciously letting his innate shield against such detection slip somewhat, as it was a nuisance to keep up, especially without reason. Arcanis winced inwardly as he remembered that avariel, like land elves, were able to detect magic the same way one of his fellow espers could, if not to the same extent. The avariel advanced towards him, drew out a slender, wooden wand, and knelt before him on both knees, setting the artifact before her. Arcanis was shocked and mortified. *You idiot!* he angrily berated himself, mentally, *You know damned well to @#$%! shield yourself ALWAYS! Now look what you're doing to this poor mortal girl!* "Master, a student stands at your door seeking guidance," the avariel said in monotone, sounding like an automaton. "I offer my greatest magic in exchange for your knowledge." Arcanis blinked in surprise at hearing the age-old ritualistic request for apprenticeship. Surely she didn't mean it...? "Um, please rise, er, student," Arcanis stammered, still a bit shocked, and not knowing the title used for those seeking apprenticeship. He quickly filled in all the slack in his innate shield, cutting off the flow of ambient magic so that he would seem like he lacked any power at all to even an esper. The avariel, standing, blinked confusedly as her wits appeared to begin returning. As an afterthought, Arcanis used a stand of air mana to pull the wooden wand off the ground and take it in hand. His eyes widened as he examined it. *A Wand Of Wonder!* he thought in surprise. *One of the most dangerous types of artifacts ever made... I thought they were all either destroyed or locked away...* Arcanis slid the wand into a hidden pocket uncertainly. "What is your name, mageling?" he asked the recovering avariel. "My name..." the avariel asked, blinking away the last traces of confusion fading from her eyes. Arcanis winced at the intense embarrassment that replaced it-- his fault. "Lia of House Macaw, Master, um...?" "Arcanis," he gave. "I... I will be around, if you still wish to pursue apprenticeship, Lady Lia," Arcanis said, deciding that he had sown enough strife and embarrassment for the day in the innocent mortal. He turned, still wincing at the embarrassing scene and decided that the distance from here to his rooms wasn't too long to attract Kefka's notice unless the tyrant were standing in the School that instant, and wrapped himself in a fold of space, leaving the air empty where he had been standing. -Arcanis Subj: [ffml] [HD] Hair of the dog - but which dog? Date: 01-01-05 20:23:16 EST From: larathia@mcs.net (Larathia) Reply-to: ffml@egroups.com To: ffml@egroups.com, hilliondynasty@egroups.com -- Idiot! Wake UP!! -- raged the part of Lia's brain that could still think through the drunken haze of magic. And after a few moments, the vibrating aura of magic in the room died down. She blinked rapidly, re-orienting....then blushed, remembering. The Esper - for what else could it be? - had masked his aura, and with a look of extreme embarassment and mortification, disappeared. Shamed, Lia covered her face with her hands, blushing so brightly she could have been mistaken for a midwinter decoration. She had allowed herself to bask too heavily in the magic of the School, and in her haze caused offence to an Esper. If her great-uncle ever got wind of this, she'd be barred from the House! Immediately, she enacted a Protect spell to shield her from getting any more of a contact high. She'd just have to start acting like a real mage, if she was ever to be taken seriously for one. Had she *really* asked the Esper to take her on as an apprentice? She, who could not enter a sorceresses' house without losing herself in its magic? Even the Archmages of the House would go through years of testing before offering themselves to an Esper for training! Oh, the shame of it...her wings were fading to grey just thinking about it... Now now, she told herself. Get a bloody grip on yourself, there's a girl. The Esper was here, was he not, in the School? Well, then. That spoke well of the Seducer, to have an Esper under her roof, but Lia resolved not to act the fool again. Perhaps the Esper was here for some other reason - certainly he'd radiated far too much power for a Seducer to have summoned him. Perhaps there was a Summoner in the school also? She'd better wait until leaving the School before shaking any more hands...the Protect spell could probably only shield her from so much... "*Ahem*", came a gentle voice behind her. "Just what was that about?" Oh, great Lady, Lia mentally groaned. I made a fool of myself in front of an *audience*.. And as she turned, she realized that the 'audience' comprised all of the harem she had met, and some she hadn't. What a wonderful way to say hello... But first things first. No time like the present to start clearing the mess up. So she put on the friendliest mask she could, and proceeded to work on extricating herself. "Ah, your school..Pyxie?" she tried. "It is very magical - do you not feel it? It is overwhelming." Pyxie's eyes showed she was well aware of being diverted, but she played along. "You can *feel* magic?" she asked. "It is something I do, yes. Something every avariel does. We do not normally have enchanted homes, you see...it was a little overwhelming. I'm sorry if I caused you embarassment - and if I caused embarassment to the one who disappeared. How can I make amends?" Pyxie's eyes showed she was very much intent on getting a more complete story at some point, but she again played along. "Well, this gift of yours can be very helpful, I think. Come, you should see the whole of the School. I am sure we'll find Arcanis around here somewhere." - Whew, - Lia breathed mentally. At least I'm off the hook for now - and I can find out from the Esper what is safe to tell this Seducer (I hope)... Subj: [ffml] [HD] Reluctant Student Date: 01-01-05 23:18:00 EST From: dshumate@bbtel.com (Arcanis) Reply-to: ffml@egroups.com To: ffml@egroups.com CC: HillionDynasty@egroups.com Arcanis walked through one of the many hallways of the Anything Goes School of Sexual Arts, turning the Wand of Wonder the strange avariel girl-- Lia-- had given, no, actually OFFERED to him, as if he were some sort of deity, not but a few hours ago. Thinking back on what he'd studied of different races, though, that might not be such unusual behavior of an avariel. Several of his friends back in Abterrus had taught avariel magic, and for that, the avariel venerated and praised them quite thoroughly. Enough to make Arcanis sick. Some espers *really* didn't need that type of ego stroking, and to allow mortals to humiliate themselves so was mean and cruel, in his opinion. He might have taught mortal races himself, if he weren't afraid of the same thing. "They'd just LOVE to see me in Mysidia," Arcanis chuckled out loud. He stopped at the railing of a balcony that stretched out to a wonderful view of one of the garden's in the AGSOSA. He thanked any true deities out there that he could enjoy the view without turning bright crimson, as there were no couples, or groups of more, in that particular garden at the time. "Hmm, I suppose this is a good a time as any to report back to Bahamut," Arcanis thought out loud. That was a bad habit, he made a mental note to work on breaking it, which he quickly forgot as he drew out the small gem Bahamut had sent to him and channeled a flow of mana into it. The gem glowed, not the pulsating glow that had shielded him from the seal on the Gate, but a softer glow, and radiated a triangular light upwards. Arcanis left the gem suspended in the air as a translucent, miniature image of Bahamut, king of the espers, appeared in the light. "Arcanis," Bahamut's voice rang through the communication spell, straight from the moon. Arcanis wondered if the spell would work in trying to connect with Abterrus-- Poochie had been curious as to what had happened to Earth after he left it. "What dost thou have to report of thine progress? Hast thine defeated Kefka?" "Haha no." Arcanis stated grimly, struggling not to make a snide comment about the supposedly 'all-seeing' Bahamut's 'infinite' wisdom. "Unfortunately, I have been unable to defeat Kefka. Fortunately, I think, I have found some mortals that offer help." "Thou dost accept help from mortals!?" the flickering image of Bahamut boomed. "Hey, I don't see you down here trudging around in polluted mana, you're up on the moon scratching yourself!" Arcanis muttered angrily, forgetting himself. He instantly wished he had the words back and Bahamut rose in the image angrily. Arcanis winced as one of the trees in the garden burst into flame. Of course, the flame was black, and the ground beneath the tree soon erupted annihilating everything within several meters. Arcanis gulped. It wasn't *that* powerful a spell, but for Bahamut to cast it at such range... "Um, I might add that two of them are summoners, King Bahamut," Arcanis said hastily, trying to smooth things over. *Even if one of them won't believe it,* he added mentally. "Hmph," Bahamut grunted in the flickering light and sat back down. "Be careful, esper, thou dost know that not all summoners art good-hearted." "Yes, I know, Kind Bahamut. I have already determined that they are good-hearted, however," Arcanis said, sure that Pyxie was, at least. He didn't know Rydia that well, but if she was Pyxie's friend, surely she would be a helping hand. "Hm, if thou dost wish to take the risk, then it is of no matter to me," Bahamut said. "However, I do have information on the whereabouts of the villain Kefka," Bahamut boomed. Arcanis' brows rose is anticipation. "The last place I could track his location to is Nikeah," Bahamut said, "Thou must hasten there if thou art to catch him, with or without thy mortal friends." Arcanis nodded hesitantly, and shut off the gem as Bahamut gave a dismissive nod. "Goddesses, does that dragon get TRY to get on people's nerves?" Arcanis muttered irritably, stuffing away the gem. He leaned out on the railing after a few minutes and cast a spell to heal the earth scarred by Bahamut's rage. After all, he couldn't have Pyxie's garden ruined just because his tongue had slipped. "Wow, Arcy!" Pyxie's voice said behind him. Arcanis, surprised, turned to face her, and tried not to wince when he saw the avariel girl he had publicly embarrassed just hours ago trailing behind Pyxie shyly. "That's a really neat trick!" Pyxie said, staring out at the garden where the ground was repairing itself rapidly, and a tree regrowing several hundred times faster than it would naturally. "You should teach Lia that! Except she says she's better at, um, 'ice-based elemental magic'," Pyxie said, frowning at the unfamiliar term. "Oh no!" Lia protested, "I couldn't impose...!" Arcanis mused silently. Obviously the avariel was furious at him for the embarrassment. What other explanation could there be? Then, he supposed, maybe he *could* make it up to her by teaching her some spells. It's not as if he had much else to do. "No, you, um, gave me the wand, the least I can do is repay you... Lia, is it?" Arcanis said awkwardly. Lia's eyes bulged. "Uh-um, yes, Master..." Lia struggled to remember what name Pyxie had given to him. "Arcanis," he replied. "Yes, Master Arcanis..." "Please, just Arcanis." "Or Arcy-poo!" Pyxie interjected giddily. "Well, I'll leave you two to it," Pyxie giggled. "I need to go welcome Pokey home properly," she said with a wink before flitting off. Arcanis looked out towards the garden. The land was fully healed; it was as if nothing had ever happened there. "I suppose we can start, um, lesson, down in that garden," Arcanis shrugged. Well, he *had* always wanted to teach. Lia looked so nervous Arcanis was afraid she might running screaming in the opposite direction. He sighed and quickly jumped off the rail. Lia gasped and ran to the rail, and blinked in surprise as she saw him slowly levitating thirty feet downwards. *I keep forgetting how powerful espers are,* Lia thought, wondering if the esper she had so thoroughly embarrassed was going to fry her alive as she spread her wings and glided down to the garden herself. "Okay," Arcanis started, unsure of how exactly to start the lesson. "I suppose I need to see how well you can defend yourself first. Hit me with your most powerful spell." Lia's eyes bulged. Was this esper actually asking her to *ATTACK* him!? She choked when she saw his patient stance, realizing that he was serious. Gathering her nerves and telling herself that an esper could surely be hardly touched by anything she tried, she cast the most powerful ice spell she knew she could safely use. Arcanis watched the barrage of icy spikes and frost streak towards him, and a barrier of flame sprung up in front of him, incinerating the spell before it even neared him. "Very good, I can se your best element is in ice-magic," he said. Come to think of it, hadn't Pyxie already said that? Arcanis shrugged mentally and drew the flame barrier into a tightly packed orb, which floated near him like a, um, floating ball of flame caught in a bad personification. It wasn't very powerful, even a novice student could block it, and Lia seemed to have some experience as it was. Arcanis sent the fireball at her slowly, it's rate about that of a tossed rock. To his surprise, Lia shrieked in horror and dove away into the dirt. The fireball hit a bit in front of where she had been and collapsed, not being powerful enough to explode. "Umm, and I guess fire is you weak point," Arcanis said, wincing as he suddenly remembered avariel were deathly afraid of fire, thanks to the susceptibility of their prized wings. "M-m-master A-Arcanis," Lia stammered, getting to her feet and backing away. "I-I didn't know you were a fire esper. Forgive me, you can keep the wand, but I think I should g-go..." "I'm no fire esper," Arcanis said hastily, attempting to smooth over the situation. "I can use all the elements, I just won't practice with fire from now on, okay?" He waited until she nodded. * * * Several hours later, Pyxie was drawing happily on a couch in her aptly-named drawing room, Pokey curled up in sleep beside her on the couch, when Lia burst excitedly into the room, followed by a tired-looking Arcanis. "Mistress Pyxie!" Lia exclaimed, "Thank you so much for making me go through with becoming an apprentice to Master Arcanis! He's already taught me lots of new spells, even if I can't really cast most of them, and how to make a shield to filter out ambient magic, and..." Pyxie had to cut her off, giggling at how much she sounded like Rydia all of a sudden. "That's great, Lia!" Pyxie said, glad that the avariel's somber tone was gone, except for the Master and Lady titles. "It looks like you wore out Arcy too, heheh." "Yes, well, I'll bid you ladies goodnight," Arcanis said, smiling weakly. "Oh yeah, Pyx, I know where we should go to find Kefka. My... sources tell me he's an Nikeah. I was thinking that, because we ALL can't ride Bahamut, we should just travel there by boat...?" "Yeah, that sounds like fun, Arc!" Pyxie exclaimed, "I haven't ridden a ship very often before." *And I've never ridden one,* thought Arc, wondering if whatever the disease 'seasickness' was would infect him unrepentantly as he left the room. His bed was a welcome comfort. *Why didn't anyone ever tell me eager students are so draining?* Arcanis wondered as he drifted off to sleep. At least, until a soul-twisting shriek ripped through the entire building. -Arcanis --- The Last Esper Head of Development for FFMLRPG Co-webmaster and Chronicler for www.ffml.org Master of Bad Jokes and Inane Comments Writer Extraordinaire of Miscellaneous Corny Stories "Two roads diverged in a wood, and I-- I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference." -"The Road Not Taken" by Robert Frost